Storage battery-box composition



Feb. 2s, 1939.

A.`1 slMlsoN STORAGE BATTERY-BOX COMPOSITION Original Filed Jan. 3l, 1935 IN VEN TOR. BW

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1939 Allen L.. Biinson, Newark,

assignments, to Owens-Corning meslle Ohio, assignor, by

Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Renewed May 12, 1938 Application January 31, 1935, serial No. 4,421

y 1 Claim. My invention relates to compositions comprisig plastic materials with glass bers intermixed therewith, such compositions beingV adapted for the manufacture of various molded articles and articles generally which are made of plastic materials: The brous glass may be supplied in bulk with the bers matted or felted, and may be intermixed with the -plastics to serve as a filler and strengthening material.

At the present time, wool cotton and kindred organic bers are used to someextent in'molded plastics as a strengthening material, but such use has not proved entirely satisfactory owing to the characteristic properties of such organic materials. They are readily attacked by acids, al-

]5 kalis and other chemicals, are readily combustible, and have comparatively little tensile strength. In accordance with the present invention, fibrous glass in the form of wool, cotton or coarser bers is employed in place of such organic materials, thereby overcoming vthe above objections by supplying a material which is chemically linert to acids and alkalis generally, is fire resistant, which possesses comparatively great tensile strength, and is otherwise particularly adapted for such e. An object of the invention is to provide a plastic composition for molded articles, having incorporated therein a brou's material which on account of its superior tensile strength and other lcharacteristic properties, permits the plastic material to be made of ingredients which are comparatively inexpensive and light in weight, Without sacrificing the necessary strength of the com- 35 position as a whole.

A feature of the present invention consists in obtaining the necessary strength and durability of the plastic composition as a whole, by the use of a relatively small proportion of the fibrous ma- 0 terial, owing to its superior strength as compared with organic bers used for a like purpose.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: l

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a molded battery cell or case made of plastic material in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the intermixture of glass fibers and plas- -50 tic material.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification in which comparatively coarse glass bers are used. Referring to the drawing,the molded battery case 5 which is shown as of conventional form,

il comprises a plastic material 6 with which are in- (Cl. 1GB-2) termixed glass fibers 1 (Fig. 2) embedded in and distributed throughout the mass of plastic material.

The battery cell 5 may be molded from a plastic composition made from a batch comprising asphalt, coal dust, ground silica and glass bers. Thebers may be inthe form commonly known in the trade as glass wool and which consists of ne glass filaments in bulk or in loosely matted form. Good results havebeen obtained with the lo use of an amount of glass wool approximately onefourth by weight of the entire batch. The proportion, however, may be varied within rather wide limits, depending upon the results desired, the iineness and length of the glass bers, the 15 specic composition of the plastic material, and other variable factors.

The composition above described as used for battery cells, differs substantially from the composition commonly used for such cells, which con- 2o sists of asphalt, diatomaceous earth, ground silica and cotton linters. In accordance with the present invention, the amount of fibrous glass'required is much less than the amount of cotton for which it is substituted, owing to the superior tensile strength of the glass bers. The use of fibrous glass, owing to its greater strength, as compared with organic bers, permits the use of coal dust or other comparatively inexpensive and light weight material as a substitute for the diatomaceous earth.

The batch may be mixed in an approved form of mixing apparatus, as, for example, Ia mixer substantially like those used in mixing doughfor making bread. Such a mixer comprises a heated drum kept at about 356 F. by steam under pressure circulated in the walls of the mixer. The mixing is effected by angular beaters which are revolved within the mixer. The batch is placed in the mixer and Worked or kneaded until the in- 40 gredients are thoroughly mixed. This may usually be accomplished in fifteen to twenty minutes. The time required for mixing the material is materially less than that required for mixing a batch comprising cotton linters or the like, because-the vglass has no absorption and usually is coarser fibered than the absorptive cotton linters.

The batch when mixed has a consistency similar to bread dough. When the mixing is completed, the batch is removed from the mixer and 50 placed in a machine which extrudes the material in molded form convenient for handling. Slugs of this material of the proper weight are placed in a press mold by which the battery cases or other articles are molded under pressure.

A pressure 55,

The nneness of the glass wool and the length of the individual nhers may be varied considerably. Very satisfactory results are obtained with slassinwhichtheindividualnbersinthennished one-eighth .to one- A much nner glass wool, sometimes referred toasgiasscottommaybeemployedifdesired. 'Iheindividuaiilbersofthisilnematerialmay rangefromilvemicronsorlsindiameterlmward,andtheindividualnbersmaybeofcom paratively great length. The ooaraer material has the advantage of being comparatively inexpensive with present methods of manufacture.

Theglasswoolmaybeluppliedindbulk form asanimredientofthebatcmandinthemolded dass are comparatively coarseandarenotfelmmattedorinterwoven :guano tothesameextentasthefineriibersshownm m32.

Although I have illustrated a battery case by way oi' example ot a molded article, it will be understood that the plastic composition herein described may be molded or fabricated into numerous other articles. Moreover, the specific set forth,

composition and thereby building up an article or mass of the material which may be molded Shaped other than those hereinabove particularly set forth may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention, as defined by the appen claim.

I claim:

the mass` of plastic material. A

ALLEN L. BIMISON. 

